A Walk in the rain:

Introduction:

Reeling under the heat waves, collective prayers are sent to Mr Rain maker. When He decides to bless with a prolonged spell, promptly, urgent SOSs are sent for a bit of sun shine. In the meanwhile, ‘umbrella’ protest are held, whichever place He visits, to fulfil the popular demand. Confused, now, He is trying to understand this paradox! Yet Rain Maker feels happy, that always the rain walker is there to offer the needed welcome.

The Rain Maker’s job is not that easy. He should be an expert to use complex phenomena – El Nino, La Nina and a host of Science and engineering disciplines with conviction.   In addition, He has to find out ways to stay a step ahead of the Computer models - surprising them every now and then.

Nevertheless, a walk in the rain is a simple and unambiguous – unlike the weathermen’s dour predictions. However there is a catch - you got to walk when it rains and not when ever you want – a la walk the talk!

The drops of rain come packed with bucketsful of pranks. In a serene mood, they fall, as fine as micro-cosmic dust, gently settle and spread. Now they are there and in the next moment they vanish – the hydrated Houdini!  

Becoming a little serious, they begin to emulate the atomic particles of “Big Bang” theory, putting on a little weight - with the help of colloidal ‘god’ particles and fall in a steady tick-tock on exposed body parts –showing no discrimination be it a bald head, uncovered face, arms or feet. They tease the sensory receptors with cold fingers tips, make them to savour the moment - a gentle slosh or bursting blob of water. 

Getting bored with this mild play, it shifts to a higher gear. Medium sized water blobs start to fall like a ‘pultruded’ water needles. These falling needles, now present an illusionary video of a slant or straight curtain, all around.

This curtain effect has inspired many mathematicians to come up with the probabilities on the number of drops of rain that could be intercepted by a stationary or a moving target, exposing similar impact profile. The thumb rule guys came up with a punch line: the faster you move, more hits you get.  Care to test this thumb rule?  Simply, take a walk in the rain.

Unmindful of all these theories, the rain drops shift to yet another higher gear. Bigger and bigger drops start falling with a measurable thud and the local sensory receptors feel like being probed by needles. This mild pain is bearable and a pleasure to experience.

The rain does not oblige with hot showers, as in the nursery rhyme “some like it hot and some like it cold”. Instead the icy fingers of rain remind the rain walker, that it started the downward journey from freezing cold.

There is rhythm and pitch in the sound of the falling rain. It never forgets to greet the rain walker with a variety of musical tunes. Unsteady, steady and wave-formic rhythms while the pitch skims over several decibels.  If an umbrella is opened up now, the rhythm goes chaotic and the pitch becomes feverish – a dramatic change in the virtuoso performance!

The kind of fabric used in the umbrella also plays a crucial role as the Disc Jockey in a rave party. Once in a while, an occasional bigger drop sneaks in with the regulars, strikes the taut fabric with a vengeance and explodes like gun shots fired from close range.

While all these inter-plays are going around the rain walker, at head & shoulder level, a different kind of physical and aural experience awaits the walker’s feet. The collecting puddle of water starts bathing the sandals or shoes, chilling the toes and soles with seeping water and quenching the thirst of the trouser legs.

Every rain-soaked step lets out a ‘whoosh’. The puddle of water expressing anguish at the forced separation from the shoes or sandals and the underlying slush croaking like a frog!  

Now, the hypothermia-prone body starts sending neurological signals to the Upper and Lower jaws, arms and legs to commence shivering – like the winter dance of honey bees, to generate body warmth. The Morse code sent out by the chattering teeth can be heard at a distance of a few centimetres, even above the din and patter of the rain fall.

At this point, even holding the umbrella steady for a cup of hot tea is out of question.

As if to applaud the rain, flash and thunder join hands to make the affair a ‘light music’ programme - obviously not a melody for  the ears of the unprepared, sodden person.

When ominous storm clouds hang low in the sky, rain drops fall with a furious intent like bricks. The exposed helpless sensory receptors of the walker are harshly tweaked and scream for a halt. The heavy rain drops are here, there and everywhere with no respite from the merciless pelting!

However, even a die-hard enthusiast, safely refrains from walking in to a hailstorm or hailstones. The once gentle rain drops now wear the masks of ferocious demons and unceremoniously puncture the rain walker’s ego and the fabric on the umbrella – in one go!

Yet, the joy of getting wet, inhaling the aromatic smell of fresh rain on parched earth and the ever changing rhythm and pitch of the musical notes of the rain drops -with or with out an umbrella is an experience that eludes vivid description.

The exercise to capture and transcribe the  ‘sound of music’ -  the musical notes made by the falling rain - over the  car, on a  tin roof, a patio, on stagnant water pool, on glass panes, tiles and what nots, will definitely be futile and a rank amateurish attempt.

The effort will be like explaining a miracle with a set of mathematical equations. The ‘cold’ solution for this problem is very simple – take a walk in the rain! Enjoy the staccato chatter of rain drops matching the sound effect of a 1000-walaah or a 10,000-wallah cracker strip, burst on deepavali day!

If the rain walker happens to be a music lover, he would have literally witnessed the virtuoso performance of musicians, playing a symphony or concerto, and heard an aria or a concert in a rainbow range of voices- alto, tenor, and contralto. He would mentally applaud the ease with which the Rain Maker orchestrates scales, and the notes – Minor, Major and flat, double flat, sharp, double sharp and natural  for this rhapsody with rain drops. 

The Rain Walker, may even request for the parabolic concerto (or) the modified 5 part symphony - starting with a slow movement, steadily climbing up the scales, reaching a crescendo and descending in the reverse order and play a slow movement. He is prepared to enjoy it without a parasol!